Vasquez v. United States

943 F. Supp. 365, 1996 WL 633780
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. New York
DecidedOctober 30, 1996
DocketNos. 96 Civ. 1075 (PEL), 97 CR. 593 (JMW)
StatusPublished

This text of 943 F. Supp. 365 (Vasquez v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Vasquez v. United States, 943 F. Supp. 365, 1996 WL 633780 (S.D.N.Y. 1996).

Opinion

ORDER

LEISURE, District Judge:

Before the Court is petitioner Manuel Vasquez’s motion pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2255 to vacate his 60-month sentence imposed following a conviction under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c). The petition to vacate is based on the Supreme Court’s recent decision in Bailey v. United States, — U.S. -, 116 S.Ct. 501, 133 L.Ed.2d 472 (1995). The Government does not oppose the motion, but it seeks resentencing on the remaining counts to which Vasquez pleaded guilty. For the reasons set forth below, the motion to vacate is granted and the Government’s motion to resentence is denied.

BACKGROUND

On April 25, 1988, Manuel Vasquez pleaded guilty on four counts: (1) conspiracy to distribute or to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, in violation of 21 U.S.C. § 846 (“Count One”); (2) distribution and possession with intent to distribute over 100 grams of heroin, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 812, 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B) (“Count Six”); (3) possession with intent to distribute approximately 215 grams of heroin, in violation of 21 U.S.C. §§ 812, 841(a)(1) and 841(b)(1)(B) (“Count Seven”); and (4) use and carrying of a firearm during and in relation to the offenses charged in Counts One and Seven, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 924(e) (“Count Fifteen”).

[367]*367On September 19, 1988,1 the Court sentenced Vasquez to 20 years on Count One. Vasquez was sentenced to 10 years on Count Six followed by 4 years of supervised release. He was sentenced to 10 years on Count Seven followed by 4 years of supervised release. Counts Six and Seven were to run concurrently with each other and with Count One. Finally, Vasquez was sentenced to a consecutive term of five years on Count Fifteen to commence upon completion of all other sentences. Tr. at 12. Vasquez has since served his sentence under Counts Six and Seven,2 and has been paroled on Count One. He is now serving his sentence on Count Fifteen for his conviction under § 924(e).

DISCUSSION

Vasquez challenges his § 924(c) conviction based on the Supreme Court’s decision in Bailey v. United States, — U.S.-, 116 S.Ct. 501, 133 L.Ed.2d 472 (1995). The Supreme Court in Bailey unanimously held that in order to support a conviction under § 924(c), the Government must prove that the defendant “actively employed the firearm during and in relation to the predicate crime.” Id. at-, 116 S.Ct. at 509. The Court explained that activities such as “brandishing, displaying, bartering, striking with, and ... firing or attempting to fire, a firearm,” constitute active employment. Id. at -, 116 S.Ct. at 508. However, the “concealment] of a gun nearby to be at the ready for an imminent confrontation” does not satisfy the active employment requirement of § 924(c). Id. The government moves the Court, if it grants Vasquez’s motion, to resentence Vasquez as to the other counts on which he pleaded guilty.

I. Motion to Vacate

The Government does not oppose petitioner’s motion to vacate the sentence. However, before acting on the petition, the Court must determine first whether the.rule announced in Bailey applies retroactively on collateral review and second whether petitioner’s claim is procedurally barred due to his failure to raise it on direct review. In Davis v. United States, 417 U.S. 333, 94 S.Ct. 2298, 41 L.Ed.2d 109 (1974), the Supreme Court held that collateral relief under § 2255 is.appropriate when there has been an intervening change in the substantive criminal law that makes it clear that the petitioner’s conviction is based on conduct which is no longer regarded as criminal. See Warner v. United States, 926 F.Supp. 1387, 1391 (E.D.Ark.1996) (citing Davis, 417 U.S. at 345-47, 94 S.Ct. at 2304-06). Accordingly, retroactive application of Bailey is justified in this case because Vasquez’s conviction was based on conduct which the law no longer recognizes as criminal. See id.; Rodriguez v. United States, 933 F.Supp. 279, 281 (S.D.N.Y.1996); United States v. Turner, 914 F.Supp. 48, 49-50 (W.D.N.Y.1996); Abreu v. United States, 911 F.Supp. 203, 206-07 (E.D.Va.1996).

Further, “[i]t is well-settled that where a petitioner does not bring a claim on direct appeal, he is barred from raising the claim in a subsequent § 2255 proceeding unless he can establish both cause and prejudice resulting therefrom.” Billy-Eko v. United States, 8 F.3d 111, 113-14 (2d Cir.1993). Petitioner has satisfied the cause and prejudice standard in this case because .(1) he could not have raised the Bailey claim on direct review due to the fact that Bailey was not decided until after his conviction became final; and (2) “a failure to vacate [his § 924(e) sentence] would result in ‘a complete miscarriage of justice.’” Rodriguez, 933 F.Supp. at 281 (quoting Hill v. United States, 368 U.S. 424, 428, 82 S.Ct. 468, 471, 7 L.Ed.2d 417 (1962)).

Having concluded that a Bailey challenge is not procedurally barred, the Court moves to the merits of the claim. The Government concedes, and the Court agrees, that in light of Bailey, there is insufficient evidence to support Vasquez’s conviction under § 924(c). The evidence merely indicated that the firearm in this transaction was pres[368]*368ent in the apartment, and did not demonstrate that Vasquez either used or carried a firearm during the course of the predicate offense.- The Court, therefore, agrees with both Vasquez and the Government that the conviction on Count Fifteen cannot stand.

II. Motion for Resentencing

The Government moves this Court to vacate the sentences on the related counts that are not the subject of Vasquez’s petition and order resentencing on those counts. The petitioner argues that this Court lacks jurisdiction to resentence him on the counts that he has not challenged in the instant collateral attack. In the circumstances of this case, the sentences under Counts One, Six, and Seven are not brought before the Court by Vasquez’s petition, and this Court therefore lacks jurisdiction to resentence on the related charges.

A court cannot order resentencing without some grant of federal statutory authority.

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Related

Hill v. United States
368 U.S. 424 (Supreme Court, 1962)
Davis v. United States
417 U.S. 333 (Supreme Court, 1974)
Bailey v. United States
516 U.S. 137 (Supreme Court, 1995)
United States v. Blackwell
81 F.3d 945 (Tenth Circuit, 1996)
Marvin McClain v. United States
676 F.2d 915 (Second Circuit, 1982)
John Billy-Eko v. United States
8 F.3d 111 (Second Circuit, 1993)
United States v. Vincent Caterino
29 F.3d 1390 (Ninth Circuit, 1994)
Beal v. United States
924 F. Supp. 913 (D. Minnesota, 1996)
Rodriguez v. United States
933 F. Supp. 279 (S.D. New York, 1996)
Merritt v. United States
930 F. Supp. 1109 (E.D. North Carolina, 1996)
Abreu v. United States
911 F. Supp. 203 (E.D. Virginia, 1996)
United States v. Turner
914 F. Supp. 48 (W.D. New York, 1996)
Warner v. United States
926 F. Supp. 1387 (E.D. Arkansas, 1996)
Dossett v. United States
931 F. Supp. 686 (D. South Dakota, 1996)
McLain v. Walker
474 U.S. 1061 (Supreme Court, 1986)

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